Mercury leveling device



Jan. 12,- 1943. D. LIVERMAN MERCURY LEVELING DEVICE Filed May 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l j. L Liverman IN V EN TOR.

Qtiyd Jab. 12, 1943. D. 1.. LIVERMAN 8 2,308,088

MERCURY LEV ELING DEVICE Filed May 22, 1941 ZSheets-Sheet 2 KKK IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE S MERCURY LEVELI'NG nEvIoE Dennis Lee Liverman, Norfolk, Va.

Application May 22, 1941, Serial No. 394,715

1 Claim.

Surveyors leveling'instruments of the tripod or trivet type cannot always be used to advantage in construction work, for example in shipbuilding or airplane building, because the space may be limited, and because something may be interposed in the line of sight. Moreover, a barrier between closely adjacent points of reference will forbid the use of an ordinary mechanics level.

The present invention aims to provide a novel leveling instrument adapted to be used under conditions such as those hereinbefore outlined, the instrument being of that general type in which a liquid is; used in vertical inspection columns connectedby a flexible tube.

The invention aims, further, to improve the construction of the columns and of the connecting tubing.

I It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which th present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away; a

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of one of the columns;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the lower part of the column and a portion of the connecting tubing;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The instrument forming the subject matter of this application comprises inspection columns I and 2. Since the columns I and 2 are of like construction, and are assembled by like means with the intervening flexible tubing, the description will proceed in the singular number, with reference to the column I.

The column I is a composite structure, including a tubular body 3, preferably made of metal.

A tubular packing 4 is secured in the lower end portion of the body 3. A flexible conduit C is provided. The conduit C comprises a flexible, tubular core 5, made of a metal which will not amalgamate with mercury. Throughout most of its length, the core 5 is enclosed in a sheath 6, made of rubber or similar flexible, insulating material, the construction being such that the conduit C will not constitute a conductor, if it happens to come into contact with some Part which is electricaly charged.

The core, 5 is slightly longer than the sheath 6. and the end ofthe core is secured in the bore of the packing 4. The sheath 6 has an enlarged button 1, held against the lower end of the body 3, and against the lower end of the packing 4, by a hollow nut 8, which is threaded on the lower end of the body.

A tubular packing 9 issecured in the upper part of the body 3 and, like the packing 4, may be made of rubber. The upper end of a glass vial i0 is secured in the bore of the packing 9, the lower end of the vial being secured in the packing 4. Since the packings 4 and 9 are resilient, shocks of ordinary magnitude will not be transmitted to the frangible vial l0. An elon gated opening II in the body 3 renders the vial I0 and its contents visible. The body 3 is cali brated as shown at l2, longitudinally of the opening l I, according to any desired system.

The liquid in the vial IE1 and the conduit C preferably is mercury. The mercury stands at a place indicated by the numeral I4 in Fig. 1, about halfway between the ends of the opening II, when the upper ends of the columns I and 2 are in the same horizontal plane. Mercury is selected, because it is mobile and durable, replenishments being practically unnecessary. At all places within its length, the instrument is of small cross sectional area. The various bores and passages are of small cross sectional area also. The mercury, therefore, does not increase the weight of the instrument to an objectionable extent. Owing to the cross sectional area of the device, it can be thrust through a correspondingly small hole in any object, for example an opening in th bulkhead of a vessel. The conduit C may be of any desired length, and when the instrument is not in use, it may be coiled down into small compass.

The column I comprises a head H, which includes a nozzle [5. The nozzle [5 is secured in the upper end of the bore of the packing 9, and

is held the more securely therein, since the nozzle has a spiral rib It, for engagement with the packing. At its upper end, the nozzle I5 is supplied with a cup l1, threaded into the upper end of the body 3. The cup I! has an upper shoulder I8, engaging the upper end of the body 3, and a lower shoulder l9, engaging the upper end of the packing 9.

At 20 there appears a cup-shaped connector, including a reduced stem 2i which is threaded into the member IT. The connector 20 is provided with a bore 22, alined with the bore of the nozzle l5. The connector 20 has an internal shoulder 23, the bore 22 being flared, as shown at 24, Where it opens upwardly through the shoulder.

The numeral 25 designates a coupling, having a reduced upper end portion, and a reduced lower end portion which is threaded into the connector 20.

A diaphragm 25 is bound between the shoulder 23 and the lower end surface of the coupling 25. The diaphragm 26 is made of kid leather, or similar material, capable of serving as a barrier to the passage of mercury, but permitting the passage of air. The coupling 25 is supplied with a bore 21, having a flared lower part 28, of the same diameter as the flared part 24 of the bore 22. The flared parts 2d and 28 expose a correspondingly enlarged portion of the diaphragm 26 to air proceeding downwardy through th bore 27.

At the upper end of the bore 2'5, the coupling 25 is supplied with a conical seat 29, and above the seat 29, the coupling is supplied with an enlarged bore 38, leading upwardly through the top of the coupling. A lateral port 3! in the coupling 25 communicates with the bore 39.

A cap 32 i threaded on the upper end of the coupling 25. A needle valve 33 is threaded into the cap 32 and into the bore 36 of the coupling 25, the valve being adapted to close the port 3!, and having a pointed end 3 cooperating with the seat 29. A double seal against the entrance of air thus is provided.

The device is used in a well known manner. Operators handling the columns I and 2 raise and lower them until the mercury in the instrument stands at a horizontal plane, determined by the calibrations l2. Readings on the calibrations I 2 may be used, also, to ascertain diiTerences in level.

The needle valve 33 is backed out, away from the seat 29, and to open the port 3|. Air can enter through the port SI and the bores 21 and 22 to bring about atmospheric pressure on both mercury columns. The diaphragm 26 permits the passage of air, but not the passage of mercury should the instrument be handled carelessly.

When the occasion for the use of the instrument has passed, the valve 33 may be seated, as shown in Fig. 2. This not only closes the air passage represented by the port 3| and the bores 22? and 22, but, as well, if the diaphragm 26 should weaken and break when the device is not in use, the mercury will beprevented from running out by way of the port 3|.

The device is simple in construction, but will be round thoroughly advantageous in carrying out the operations hereinbefore alluded to.

What is claimed is:

A leveling instrument comprising inspection columns, a flexible conduit connecting the lower portions of the columns, and liquid in the columns and the conduit: each column comprising a multi-part head having an air passage leading to the space occupied by the liquid, and diaphragrns in the heads and defining the upper limits of said space, the diaphragms being interposed in the passages and being bound marginally between said parts of the heads, the diaphragms being made of material which is pervious to air, but a barrier to the liquid, the passages being flared on opposite sides of the diaphragms, to expose increased areas of the diaphragms to air.

DENNIS LEE LIVERMAN. 

